Christmas Miracle
by ProphecyMarauder45
Summary: Harry Potter has been pining for his female best friend since they were teenagers. When Hermione Granger decided to study abroad, Harry fears things would change. But as the saying goes, "distance makes the heart grow fonder." As Harry plans to surprise Hermione and spend Christmas with her, looks like Hermione has a bigger surprise waiting for him in Paris!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my entry for the Harmony & Co. Facebook Group's Harmony Advent Collection 2019! It's not completely beta'd so I apologize ahead for any mistakes in grammar and punctuations. I hope you guys enjoy this little Christmas gift for all Harmony shippers out there! Merry Christmas, everyone!  
**

**Thank you to SweetShireen and TyrannicPuppy for looking over this story!  
**

* * *

"I can't believe we're leaving Hogwarts tomorrow!" Hermione Granger exclaimed, as she dropped herself on the couch beside her best friend of eight years.

Harry Potter simply looked at her and smiled. He wasn't entirely sure at first about coming back to Hogwarts after the Second Wizarding War. He was afraid that seeing the school would only remind him of the war and the deaths of so many people. But being surrounded by his friends and of course, spending every day with Hermione, eventually took away the sadness and pain he felt while being at Hogwarts. For the first time, he was able to spend a year as a normal student—well, as normal as the Boy-Who-Conquered as a student could be.

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione's curious voice broke through his reverie.

"Huh?" he answered eloquently.

"Well, you were staring at me. Is there something on my face?" she said, teasingly.

"Oh! Sorry. I was just thinking back when you asked me if I wanted to come back to Hogwarts to finish our studies and I wasn't really sure if I wanted to," he said with a smile on his face.

"And?" she asked.

"I'm quite glad I came back. I've finally had one school year where I was just a normal student," he replied, the smile still on his face, "And I'm even more glad that you're here with me."

He didn't miss the blush that coloured Hermione's cheeks and he couldn't help but think how adorable she was whenever she blushed or when she felt shy. He wasn't sure when his feelings for her turned from friendly to something more but what surprised him was that he wasn't surprised at all for having such feelings for her. If there was one person who was constant and loyal to him, it was Hermione. He realized that he may not have been as constant or as loyal, but he promised to strive to be a better friend to her, and maybe someday she would see him as more than a friend, as well.

"I just wished Ron was here with us, too," Hermione said, a bit of sadness in her voice.

"You know how Ron is," Harry laughed, "He was never the studious type, anyway. Besides, you and I both can tell how happy he is now that he's part of his favorite Quidditch team."

"Oh, I know. I just miss him, is all," she said as she gave him a smile.

Harry had often wondered if Hermione truly didn't feel anything more for their red-haired best friend. When he asked her weeks after the end of the war, she simply said that they realized that they were too different and that they were better off as friends. He didn't doubt that for a minute because they did become better friends. The arguments lessened, there was more teasing camaraderie and he could see they were happier. But whenever he had bouts of insecurity, he couldn't help but wonder.

"Well, glad to know I'm chopped liver," he said teasingly while he rolled his eyes, as Hermione hit him on the arm.

"Hey! You're strong for such a small girl!" he exclaimed, as he rubbed his arm. "I miss him too. But like I said, I'm glad you're here with me."

He put his arm around her shoulders, keeping in mind to keep it as platonic as he could. Hermione simply looked up at him and gave him that soft smile that told him she was genuinely happy, the smile that made him want to do anything she asked of him. Giving in to his impulse, he leaned in and kissed her on her forehead. He noticed she briefly closed her eyes on the contact and as he moved away, it took a few moments before she opened them.

"I'm glad to be here with you, too," she said in a soft voice.

Harry desperately tried to tamp down the hope that threatened to surface with that statement. He didn't want to give meaning to anything she said unless she outright told him she felt the same for him as he felt for her. He was terrified to put his heart on the line but he knew she was worth it. And no matter whether she loved him or not, he would always be her best friend.

They stared at each other for he wasn't sure how long until he looked away and cleared his throat. Hermione broke out of the trance and blushed again.

"So – uh – have you finished your speech for tomorrow?" Harry asked, as he looked at her again. He tried to keep his voice normal.

He noticed she was staring blindly at the fireplace, it seemed like she hadn't heard him until she realized he was talking to her. "Hmm? Oh! Yes, I've been reading it over and over, memorizing it. I'm scared I might forget something."

He laughed at her, "You, forget something? Would that even be possible?"

She nudged him with her shoulder, "Of course, it is! You do realize there will be hundreds of people watching tomorrow!"

"C'mon Mione! You'll do great with that speech! You're not the Brightest Witch of her Age for nothing."

Hermione gave him another smile in thanks for his encouraging words.

"Well, as long as you don't laugh at me, I'm sure I'll be fine," she teased.

"Oh, I'd be the one laughing the loudest," he teased back and they both laughed. Neither noticed that Harry's arm was still around Hermione's shoulders.

"Let's go down to the Great Hall. I'm starving," Hermione said after they finally stopped laughing.

"Come on, then," he said as he stood up. He faced Hermione and before he could even think on it, he raised his hand and offered it for her to take. It wasn't something new to either of them, the gesture. She simply smiled and put her hand in his, just like the countless times she did before. She stood up with grace and they walked out of the Gryffindor Common Room, hand in hand.

* * *

_**Graduation Day**_

"Congratulations, Harry and Hermione!" Ron exclaimed as he hugged them both at the same time. Harry laughed as Hermione complained good-naturedly that Ron was crushing her.

"Well, I'm not surprised that our Hermione here is the top of the class. What I'm more surprised about is Harry being in the top 10 with the highest grades!" Ron teased.

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed, "It's because you're not here to cause trouble, that's why I was able to study better."

"Yeah, right! I bet you missed me a lot whenever Hermione would drag you to the library," Ron retorted.

Harry looked at Hermione as she moved to talk to her parents. Sure, he missed Ron a lot but he had fun with just Hermione, too. It felt like the school year flew by too fast.

"You fancy her, huh?"

Harry's head snapped towards Ron so quick that he almost felt whiplash. "What?"

Ron rolled his eyes before repeating, "I said, 'You. Fancy. Her.'"

"What are you talking about?" Harry said, trying to come off as nonchalant.

"Yeah, and I'm the Tooth Fairy," Ron rolled his eyes again, "I saw the way your eyes followed her, mate. I'm not angry. I'm not even surprised. She's quite easy to fall for."

Harry sighed, "Then why didn't you get together after the war?"

"Just too different," Ron shrugged, "We realized all that bickering the first few years was nothing but that. We annoy each other too much, and we wanted to change the other while neither of us wanted to change. Sure, we were friends but we weren't good friends. So, when we had that talk after the war, we decided to try and be better friends first. That's when we realized we were better off as best friends than lovers."

Harry was pleasantly surprised to hear Ron talk that way. The Ron a year ago would have been irritable and irrational about this, but this new Ron had matured quite a bit.

"So, nothing like a sister to you, huh?" Ron teased, raising his eyebrows maliciously at Harry.

It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes. He glanced at Hermione again before speaking, "I dunno, mate. A year ago, when I told you she's like a sister to me, it was the truth then. But after spending a year with her and learning about her more than I have before, everything just changed." He turned to Ron, "I guess you can say I do fancy her."

"Are you planning to tell her?" Ron inquired.

"Maybe. But probably not anytime soon. I do want to tell her though, I—" he was cut-off by a pair of arms around his neck and a stream of red hair covered his eyesight. He removed the offending hair from his face and gave Ron an incredulous look. Ron simply shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"Ginny, what—" he began.

"Congratulations, Harry! Oh, I'm so happy for you!" Ginny said excitedly. She loosened her arms around Harry's neck but did not remove them. Harry placed his hands on her hips and gently kept her at a distance.

"Uhh, thanks Gin. I didn't know you were here." He looked around and spotted Hermione staring at him and Ginny, a smile on her face. Harry groaned internally. _Great, she probably thinks Ginny and I are getting back together. Sure, how about NEVER?!_ He sent a silent prayer to any higher power or deity that Hermione didn't misinterpret this.

"How could I miss this? I asked Headmistress McGonagall if I could stay for your graduation since the younger years already left the other day," Ginny said, her smile never breaking.

Harry was growing more uncomfortable as every second passed so he gently reached behind his neck and unlocked Ginny's arms. Her expression faltered at his action. By the time Harry had placed her arms at her sides, she was already frowning.

When Harry saw the way she was looking at him, he turned to Ron for help. His best friend simply nodded then placed his arm around his sister's shoulders.

"Have you seen Mum and Dad? C'mon, let's go look for them. I haven't seen them yet since I got here," he said as he turned his sister around and led her away from Harry.

"Well, you certainly looked quite uncomfortable there," a teasing voice came from behind him. Of course, he knew that voice. He would know it anywhere. He turned around and came face to face with Hermione, her expression looked like she was barely keeping herself from laughing. Harry couldn't help but smile, he loved those moments when she teased him or joked with him. It was a sight far from the usual serious and studious Hermione.

"Yeah, well," he looked at the direction Ron and Ginny went but didn't see them anymore, "I think I've already made it clear to her, FINALLY, that we are not getting back together again. EVER."

Hermione gave in and laughed out loud. Harry joined her and they laughed together. Their laughter might have been too loud as some people looked in their direction with a bewildered expression.

"Oh, dear," Hermione said as she tried to contain her laughter, "I think we attracted some attention."

Harry rolled his eyes, "When do we ever NOT attract attention to ourselves?" he said in a sarcastic voice.

"That's true. You could be reading a book and you would still attract attention," Hermione chuckled.

"Exactly! Ugh, for the millionth time, I wish I was just a nobody," he retorted.

Hermione's expression sobered, her eyes soft, "If you were a nobody, we wouldn't be standing here today, Harry."

His cheeks reddened at the obvious reverence Hermione had for him. He promised himself he would show her the same. He was about to say something he wasn't sure he was ready to say when a dignified cough sounded from behind Hermione.

"Headmistress McGonagall!" Harry and Hermione exclaimed in surprise.

The usually-strict matron had a small smile on her face as she looked at Harry first, then at Hermione.

"Congratulations to the both of you. I cannot express enough how proud I am of what you have achieved until now. It has been an honor to teach two of the most promising students Hogwarts has ever seen," she said. It was the first time either teen had seen their normally-composed professor being emotional.

"Thank you so much, Headmistress," Hermione replied, her voice breaking. Harry simply nodded as he himself felt a bit emotional at that moment. Headmistress McGonagall had been one of their favorite professors, and had been one of the few who had given them solid support from the start.

The esteemed educator then turned to Hermione, "Do you have everything you need before you leave for Paris?"

Harry felt like his entire world came to a stop and he thought he had heard wrong. _Hermione? Leaving for Paris? _He thought. He turned towards her, sure that his expression was one of confusion. Hermione gave him a quick glance as if to say_ We'll talk later _then answered the headmistress's question, "Oh yes. All the documents I needed were already submitted to _École Internationale de Droit Universel _two days ago. I simply need to be there personally on the 20th for the freshmen orientation."

"That is good to hear, Ms. Granger. Should you need any more assistance, do let me know," Headmistress McGonagall said, pride evident in her voice. Clearly satisfied, she then turned to Harry.

"How about you, Mr. Potter? Have you decided what you will do after Hogwarts?" she inquired.

It took a few seconds for Harry to realize he had been asked a question. He shook his head and turned towards the headmistress. "I, uh, I applied for a spot in St. Mungo's Healing Academy. I'm still waiting for their response on whether they accepted my application."

He was shocked beyond words when the strict professor sniffled and hastily wiped a stray tear. "Oh Mr. Potter, I'm sure you'll succeed in whichever career you choose. I am extremely proud that you chose to go into healing."

"You're not bummed that I'm not going into Auror Training?"

"Posh. You've fought more dark wizards than any of those who have been in the force for years. You've done enough fighting."

Harry raked his hand through his hair, a blush on his face. "Well, I still wanted to do something to help others, something worthwhile."

Hermione touched Harry's arm and smiled at him.

"Healing is a good choice," Headmistress McGonagall said. "Well, if you'll excuse me. I have other students to congratulate."

"Of course, Headmistress," both responded and watched their _former_ professor walk away.

"Harry…" Hermione's voice was soft.

Harry took her hand and led her towards the double doors, leaving the Great Hall and into an empty chamber. He let go of Hermione's hand and continued walking towards one of the windows that showed the Hogwarts grounds. The sunny day was a contrast to how Harry felt at the moment. He wished the skies would open up and rain would pour down to match the turmoil he was feeling.

"Harry…" Hermione tried again when the silence had stretched.

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" Harry asked without looking at her.

"It's only Paris, Harry. It's just a Portkey away. A plane or even a train ride. You can come see me or I'll come home to visit."

He turned around to look at her, her eyes visibly widening at the emotions Harry was sure were written all over his face.

"We have never been that far apart, or for so long, ever since we met, Hermione."

"I know but it's not going to be forever." She approached him and cupped his cheek. "I'll only be there for four years. Besides, you'll be too busy with healer training so you probably won't notice I'm gone. The next four years will fly by then I'll be back home again."

Harry leaned on her touch and exhaled. "You promise?"

"I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Three years later, April 2002 - London**_

"Merlin! I can't believe Easter break is almost over!" Hermione exclaimed as she lounged on the couch in Harry's flat. She had just came home to Britain for the one-week easter break from school and the days had flown by faster that they could blink. She would not be able to come home during the summer as she would be busy for her last year in law school.

"Speak for yourself. Healer Morningstar has been after our arses for the past week. I thought I'd be able to take a break the whole time while you're here, instead of just a few days," Harry complained as he threw himself beside Hermione on the couch.

She turned towards him and patted his knee. "Well, a few days are better than nothing!"

Harry nodded. He had missed her something terrible these past three years since she went to Paris to study. While they constantly wrote to each other and visited each other whenever possible, it was still different from having Hermione within arms reach. He missed her quiet company, the kind where they didn't have to fill in the silences. He missed their random conversations at night by the fireplace where he learned more things about this amazing woman.

It was not to say he wasn't proud of Hermione dumbfounding the people at _École Internationale de Droit Universel _with her brilliance. He was sure she was going to be the top student of their graduating class the following year and would become the best barrister in England once she started practicing. But it had been painful to be so far away from her.

He had thought that his feelings for her would fade away as time and distance kept them apart but the saying did ring true that distance made the heart grow fonder. It also didn't help that every time Harry saw Hermione, she grew more beautiful and brilliant. His heart never had a chance against one Hermione Granger and he had long accepted that fact. He had thought of confessing his feelings towards his best friend (the female one) but he would always chicken out for fear of rejection and the possible loss of the most important person in his life.

"Hello? Earth to Harry." Hermione snapped her fingers repeatedly in front of his face.

He shook his head to clear his not-so-friendly thoughts of the woman beside him. "Sorry. You were saying?"

"I just asked if there was anything particular you wanted to do tomorrow night. I won't be able to celebrate your birthday with you in July because I'll be swamped with summer classes and my thesis so I was thinking of celebrating it a little earlier."

"_Way _early as it's only April!" He laughed. "I just want to spend it with you… and our friends, I guess." He immediately added as he tried to cover up his slip. This coming July would be the first birthday he won't be spending with her since she left for Paris and all he wanted was to be with just her. But that couldn't happen unless he wanted to reveal his secret to her.

Hermione frowned. "Are you sure? We can go out to London, act like tourists."

Harry nodded. "We could do that. Then we can meet up with Ron and the others after for some dinner and drinks. It could also be an advanced celebration for you since you're almost done with law school."

"As are you, Healer Potter! So, we'll just have drinks with our friends after we toured London. It'll be a joint celebration for the both of us!" She nudged his shoulder with hers. Harry raised his arm and wrapped it around her, squeezing her tight. Hermione settled her head on his shoulder and cuddled on his side.

"Why aren't you dating, Harry?"

The question came out of nowhere and Harry was afraid Hermione would feel his heartbeat quickened, as close as she was to him physically. How could he answer such a question without revealing his true feelings?

Hermione must have grown impatient with his silence as she rose to a sitting position and turned towards him.

"Seriously, Harry. Ron told me you haven't gone on a single date since we graduated from Hogwarts. I know for a fact that it's not because no one's interested because I remember telling you you're quite fanciable. You can't say you're too busy because you still have time to spend time with Teddy and Weasleys," she ranted. "I mean, it's perfectly fine to me if you're, you know." She waved her hand towards him. He didn't understand what she was trying to say, confusion clear on his face.

"Oh, you know! Batting for the other team, so to speak."

Realization dawned on him and he laughed out loud. Hermione sported a perplexed expression which made him laugh harder.

_Great, she thinks I'm gay. How am I supposed to woo her and win her heart if she thought I'm into blokes? _He thought.

He eventually calmed enough to speak. "Nope. Nu-uh. I have nothing against gays but I am 100% sure I'm straight. Seriously Hermione, just because I'm not dating and sleeping around like Ron does, doesn't mean I'm gay or something." He pushed his glasses up so he could wipe the tears in his eyes from laughing.

"Then why?"

"Why what?"

"Why haven't you been dating these past years? I would think you'd grab the chance to experience that."

He figured she wouldn't let it go so easily. When she wanted to know something, Hermione Granger was like a dog with a bone. He had to think quickly.

"I may be a bloke but not all blokes chase around and stick our pricks in everything in a skirt. And between studying and our family and friends, I don't very much have that much free time. My shifts sometimes go for as long as 16 hours, I barely go out as it is. And let's not forget about my bloody 'fame.'" He raised his hands and did the air quotes. "I have to be careful about who I date because I would bet my entire inheritance that majority of the women between the ages 17-60 are only interested in me because I'm the bloody 'Man-Who-Conquered,'" he did the air quotes again, "or whatever other nonsense they call me these days. I want someone to be with me because I'm the awkward bloke trying to get through healing academy, the boring chap who would rather sleep than go to the newest club in town, or the helpless git who almost didn't survive the past war without his best friends." He realized he'd said more than he intended to but he thought it was a good enough tirade to derail whatever thoughts Hermione had about his love life.

"Oh, Harry."

Damn. Whenever she said those words in any context, it did something funny to his stomach, or the lower regions of his body which he would _never_ mention to his female best friend.

He cleared his throat, trying to dispel the somber mood they'd fallen into after his not-a-confession.

"How about you? What happened to that bloke you mentioned in you last letter before you came home?" He refrained from gritting his teeth at the mention of any bloke trying to date Hermione.

"Warren? Ugh. I barely survived the _one_ date we went to. He was insufferable." Hermione rolled her eyes and waved her hands about. "All he talked about was himself, he's a misogynist airhead, and he was completely surprised when I told him our date was over right after dinner. The blithering idiot assumed we were going to have sex to end the night. He got a stinging hex for that!" Hermione huffed and crossed her arms.

As annoyed as Harry was about hearing about Hermione's dates, he was torn between being glad and guilty. Glad that the dates weren't successful but guilty because his best friend was miserable after another failed date.

_If you'd only man the hell up and bloody ask her out, maybe it'll end her string of bad dates and you'll both be happy, _a voice in his head spoke that strangely sounded like Ron. Well, he didn't even know if he was a good date as he never really went out with anyone after realizing his feeling for the gorgeous brunette. His last relationship was a bumbling attempt with Ginny Weasley that only lasted for two weeks. Thankfully, the two of them were able to build a solid friendship between them and the blasted redhead was now attempting to throw every woman she knew at him to push him to date.

"So no dates in the near foreseeable future?" He asked, trying his best to sound nonchalant.

"Nope," she replied with a pop of her lips. "This last year is going to be hellish so I'd rather not have any distractions for the time being. A year of no dating shouldn't be hard at all."

Internally, Harry cheered at hearing that. Maybe once they were both done in their respective courses, he would finally have the chance to have a go at being more than friends.

"Well then, let's drink to our hearts' tomorrow night before we are buried in books and parchments, and pumping coffee into our bloodstream."

Hermione laughed and nodded. "Can't wait!"

* * *

"Advanced happy birthday, Harry!"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron, along with some of their Hogwarts friends—Neville, Seamus, Dean, Lavender, and Parvati—cheered as they brought their glasses together before everyone took a sip.

"Thanks, guys! I mean, I told Hermione it's way too early to celebrate my birthday but since she won't be here on that day, might as well give her what she wants," Harry teased. Hermione hit him in the arm and poked her tongue at him.

"To St. Mungo's top and brightest healer trainee!" Hermione raised her glass again.

"Hear, hear!" Everyone responded and clinked their glasses again.

"I dunno about being the top _or _the brightest trainee," Harry said, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.

"Oh, stop being modest, Harry! Ron told all of us how hard you've been studying in the academy that you barely sleep at all," Seamus retorted. Harry glared at his male best friend, who simply shrugged his shoulders as he drank his beer. He couldn't exactly say that the reason why he's studying so hard was all because of Hermione. He did want to be a good healer but he also wanted Hermione to be proud of him. He'd slacked off so much in Hogwarts before the war and he felt utterly unprepared when they finally went on their own to hunt for Voldemort's horcruxes. He hated the feeling of being ill-equipped for anything and of being completely useless to Hermione while on the run. Once the war was over and they decided to return to Hogwarts for their last year, he did a 180 on his studies that surprised the hell out of Hermione—in a good way—and put in effort to do better.

"Well, there's also the long shifts in St. Mungo's. But I enjoy it, to be honest. My professors and trainers don't see me as a famous person, which I'm grateful for, so they push me as much as they push the other trainees," he paused and took a swig of his beer.

"Besides, I'm not the only one accomplishing something around here!" He turned to each friend, tankard of beer in his hand raised towards them. "Ron's already the starting Keeper for Chuddley Cannons only after 3 years of being a reserve; Neville just finished his first year as the Herbology professor at Hogwarts; Seamus and Dean have opened their own restaurant-slash-art gallery; Lavender is a budding fashion designer, and Parvati is now a journalist for The Daily Prophet." Then he turned towards Hermione and his expression softened, something that his other friends didn't miss. "And let's not forget, Hermione is going to be the best barrister both the wizarding and muggle world have ever seen."

Hermione blushed but smiled at him brightly. She clinked her glass against his without breaking eye contact. If Harry and Hermione weren't so caught up in staring at each other, they wouldn't have missed the shared glances between their friends. Before they got lost from their own little world, Ron decided to interrupt.

"Anyone wants another round?"

Both Harry and Hermione jumped at the question and immediately turned their attention towards their mutual best friend. Ron gave them an innocent expression that Harry believed was not innocent at all.

"Sure! I'll go with you and get the drinks," Harry said and stood up. He touched Hermione's shoulder and squeezed it before leaving the table with Ron. Hermione simply gave him a smile and a nod. Of course, the others noticed the action and had to fight the urge to smile.

Upon reaching the bar, Ron and Harry gave their order to the bartender. Ron turned to Harry immediately, a sly smile on his face.

"You know, if we had a knife, we'd have been able to cut the sexual tension between you and Hermione earlier."

Harry looked at his best friend incredulously. "What are you talking about?"

"'_Let's not forget, Hermione is going to be the best barrister the wizarding and muggle world have ever seen._'" Ron said in a high-pitched voice.

Harry frowned. "I _do not_ sound like that!"

"No, but you looked and sounded like a lovesick fool," Ron replied with a shrug. "When are you finally going to tell her how you feel? It's bloody painful watching you pine for her sometimes."

"It's not that easy, Ron."

"'Course it is. And even if she did reject you, would you have stopped being her friend?"

Harry took a moment to think about it. Yes, he was scared of her rejection and losing her as a part of his life. But even if she did reject his feelings, he could not _not_ be her friend. It would be painful but they've been through too much together and he believed their friendship to be strong enough to face anything.

"No. I couldn't even if I tried," was his answer.

"See? Besides, I don't think she's going to reject you based on what we witnessed earlier. She might not have realized it yet, but I believe there's something there for her, too."

He didn't want to raise his hopes up, but it was difficult not to when hearing Ron's words.

"Just think about it, mate."

Harry nodded. It was the only thing he thought of aside from his healer training.

Their drinks had arrived and both wizards went back to their table.


	3. Chapter 3

_**April 2002, The Same Night - London**_

"Harry, hurry up! I need to use the loo!" Hermione whispered loudly and drunkenly at the dark-haired wizard who was currently struggling with the keys to his flat.

"Just give me a second, woman! I can't blood see straight, let alone a tiny keyhole!"

Once he was successful in unlocking the door, Hermione grabbed the doorknob and hurriedly opened it before running into the flat. She caused so much commotion on her way to the loo and Harry hoped the neighbors didn't hear her. He gently closed the door, locked it and threw himself on the couch. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the effects of the impractical amount of alcohol they had consumed earlier that night. It had been a good night out with friends which was made better by Hermione sticking by his side all night. He didn't hear Hermione exit the loo and was surprised when she dropped beside him, causing him to open his eyes and look at her.

He was startled to see her staring intently at him. He could still see the drunkenness in her glassy eyes but she was looking at him as if she was studying him. He couldn't look away but he started squirming in his seat when Hermione finally decided to speak.

"The witch you're going to fall in love with is going to be the luckiest witch in the world."

Her statement gave him pause. If only he could tell her that he was already in love with a witch and that _he_ would be the lucky one if she fell in love with him.

He rubbed his neck and looked away. "That's rubbish."

"It is not!" He was surprised by the passion in her voice. She reached out and held his face in both hands, turning him towards her.

"You are an amazing person, Harry. Truly amazing. And I am privileged to have known you and be your friend. If only other men could be like you," she sighed, "If only men like you could fall in love with a woman like me."

"Hermione, what are you talking about?" He wrapped his hands around her wrists. "_Any_ bloke, wizard or muggle, would be _extremely_ lucky to even have your attention. You are brilliant, beautiful, and you have a heart so big that you took pity on a skinny, orphaned boy and became his dearest and closest friend."

Tears began to well in her eyes at his words and Harry decided to continue. "I am _nothing_ if it weren't for you. I wouldn't be here if you weren't by my side all these years. And it was torture to be away from you these past years, Hermione. I—"

He was cut off when the softest lips he had ever felt crashed against his. He knew he should stop this as they were both drunk and might regret it in the morning but that part of his brain had shut off the moment her tongue touched his. She tasted of the wine she consumed earlier and something inherently Hermione that he was immediately addicted to the taste of her. He let go of her wrists, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other buried itself in her riot of curls. The kiss grew more passionate and intense and Harry didn't want it to ever stop.

Breathing became an issue so he reluctantly stopped snogging Hermione but went on to shower kisses on different parts of her face. He could hear Hermione's labored breaths as he lowered his lips to her neck. She dragged her hands from his face down towards the button of his shirt and opened them one by one.

Harry halted her hands from their progress and moved back to look at her face.

"Hermione, I don't think—" he began, his own breathing was ragged.

"Shush. I want to experience what it's like to be loved by you even for just one night."

_I would show you everyday how much I love you, if I could,_ he thought. He knew damn well that it's the alcohol talking and he should not take advantage of her like this but it's a little difficult to say no to her when she was dissolving any coherent thought he had by sucking and licking his neck.

"He-Hermione, you-you're drunk," he tried again.

"Hmm." Was all he got as she continued to unbutton his shirt. And when her hand finally touched his hard on, all thoughts were gone and his raging lust and love for the brown-hair woman overtook him.

He grabbed her hips and lifted her onto his lap without breaking their kiss. He pulled her tight, chest to chest, hip to hip. Hermione moved back a bit, looked at him with lust-filled eyes through her lashes and smiled at him devilishly. He was glad he was already sitting down or else his knees would have given out at that smile.

Hermione dragged a finger from his collarbone down to the belt of his trousers.

"I believe you have a very serviceable and comfortable bed in your bedroom. Maybe we can… finish this there?" Her voice was the sexiest sound he had ever heard and he didn't need to be told twice. He stood up and let her slid down his body, causing him to shiver at the sensation. She took his hand and dragged him towards his bedroom as if it was hers, which amused the wizard. Upon reaching the door, Hermione threw the door wide open and pulled him by his open shirt, crashing her lips against his. He quickly divested her of her clothes as quickly as she did his and soon they falling onto his queen-sized bed in a tangle of naked limbs.

Harry ended up underneath Hermione as she straddled his hips, rubbing her wet center on his aching groin. He closed his eyes and groaned as he enjoyed the sensation. He placed her hands on her smooth thighs and opened his eyes to look at her.

"You are so beautiful."

Even though she was already naked, the compliment caused a redness on Hermione's cheeks.

"Thank you, Harry," she said softly, then her smile turned feral. "So are you, being naked like this and underneath me."

He didn't know where this vixen came from but hell if it wasn't turning him on more. He didn't know he could ever be this hard in his life.

"Minx," was all he said before lifting her and dragging her down on his cock as he lifted his hips to meet hers. Her screams of pleasure drowned out his moans as he was wrapped around by Hermione's wet and warm pussy.

"Oh Merlin." She said breathlessly. He could feel her walls contracting around his erection which gave him another feeling of pleasure.

Hermione began rocking her hips back and forth as Harry lifted his hips to meet hers. The sounds she made only served to madden Harry further with lust. He reached up and took hold of her perky breasts which fit perfectly in his hands. He groaned again as the thought of being inside Hermione and touching her naked body sunk in and filled his head. How many times had he woken up with a raging erection after a dream about being this way with her? Too many times, and now it's happening for real.

"Take your pleasure, Hermione. Chase it and take it. C'mon, love," he told her, the endearment flowed naturally from his lips.

He wasn't sure if Hermione noticed it but her rocking in his cock became more frenzy and he knew she was close. Watching her and feeling her were enough to send him over the edge but he wanted her to reach her peak first before he finished.

When she finally came undone, Hermione threw her head up, one hand on top of Harry's that was on her breast, and the other on his thigh behind her. It was the most erotic vision he had ever seen and it called forth his own peak. He had never come so hard and he came inside the woman he loved. Hermione fell on top of him as her orgasm waned and her breathing was ragged. She moved slightly to his side and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his chest, one arm wrapped around his waist.

"Thank you, Harry," he heard her murmured sleepily.

"Goodnight, Hermione." He kissed the top of her head then summon the blankets to cover themselves. It didn't take him too long to succumb to sleep and dreams of a naked, curly-haired brunette.

* * *

Hermione woke up with the worst headache in her entire life. She tried to open her eyes but when everything spun, she immediately closed them again. A hangover and vertigo were not the best combination to have so early in the morning.

Merlin, what did she drink last night? Better yet, what did she do because for some reason she felt sore all over her body, especially between her legs. Her eyes popped open and she quickly sat up on the bed. The blankets pooled on her legs and she looked down, confirming her suspicions.

She was naked. Looking around the room, she immediately recognized where she was. She was naked, sore, and in Harry's bedroom. She'd spent so much time in this room for years but never in her current state. Dread crept into her stomach as she tried to remember last night's event.

They were at Seamus and Dean's restaurant-slash-bar-slash-art gallery in Diagon Alley, celebrating Harry's birthday in advance as well as their impending graduation for law and healing school respectively. All she knew was that there were a lot of alcohol involved and she had lost track of what was being consumed.

She was partly glad that Harry wasn't in the room when she woke up. She honestly didn't know how she would deal with him and the fact that they had drunk sex (must have been intense judging by the soreness between her legs) the night before. She worried what it might do to their friendship because Harry was too important for her to lose over a one-night stand.

She would readily admit only to herself that Harry had grown into a handsome young man since the war. He had filled out due to eating a ton every meal, but remained fit by keeping a rigorous workout. His studiousness, which he had only developed these past four years, was insanely attractive to a bookworm like her. The way he carried himself while in healer robes gave her enough wet dream materials. She remembered saying that he was an amazing person, and it was the truth. Any woman would be lucky to be the recipient of his attention someday. But she had never seen Harry as a potential partner or lover before. Maybe because they had grown up together and had been friends for over a decade.

Staying in his room would not do her any good so she decided to take a shower first before heading out to look for her raven-haired best friend. They both needed to talk about what happened last night.

* * *

Harry was by the stove when he heard her light footsteps heading towards him. He was making the greasiest breakfast he could make to help combat the hangover he was sure Hermione was sporting. He knew Hermione was more drunk than he was the previous night. He could handle his liquor more than Hermione could and she chose to pace with him as they drank.

As soon as Hermione sat on a chair by the dining table, Harry waved his hand and directed an Anti-Hangover Potion to the grumpy witch. He smiled as she snatched the potion and hurriedly drank it as if it was water.

She made a face as she out down the vial on the table. "Blech. That is vile but it's a godsend. Thank you." She turned to look at him but flushed the moment his eyes met hers.

_She must have realized what had happened when she woke up,_ he internalized. The upcoming conversation was going to be a bit tricky and he needed to play his cards right. He directed a cup of tea towards the dining table for Hermione as he finished cooking their breakfast.

"Hmm," Hermione groaned, a sound that went straight to his groin. "You always get my tea right."

"I believe that happens when you've known someone for 12 years, give or take," he replied as he placed a plate of bacon, eggs, waffles, and hashbrowns in front of her.

"This smells heavenly, Harry."

Harry sat on the chair across from her and grabbed his fork. "Well, tuck in before it gets cold."

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Hermione put her fork down and spoke.

"Harry, we need to talk about what happened last night."

Harry took his time by chewing his food to think. _Here it comes_.

"What about last night?"

"Harry, don't be daft. It doesn't suit you."

"I have you know, I was daft up until the second war so I'm practically a master of it."

"Harry."

Harry raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright." He drank water before leaning back on his chair and crossing his arms.

"You mean, last night when we slept together." He tried to act as unaffected by it as he could but deep inside he was a jumble of nerves and emotions."

"Yes! We shouldn't have done that! We're best friends and best friends don't shag each other."

"Unless they're drunk up to the gills and had thrown their inhibitions to the wind," he retorted. "Are you going to say that it was a mistake?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, Harry. And I know I was the one who initiated it. I remembered it all after taking the potion and it was a wonderful experience. I can't believe we shagged more than once last night, though."

_Best shag of my life. Probably best not to mention that to her, though, _he thought.

"Well, what do you want to do now?" He asked. He was going to let her decide what she wanted to happen between them.

"I have never thought of you that way, Harry, and I'm afraid of losing you because of this," she said, her voice full of sadness.

"Hey, hey." He reached out and held her hand. "You are _never_ going to lose me, okay? Last night was an amazing experience for me, too."

"Do you promise? I won't lose your friendship because of my foolishness?" She squeezed his hand which the wizard returned.

"I promise."

Relief replaced the sorrow on her face and she finally ate her breakfast with gusto. Meanwhile, Harry was lost in his thoughts about their conversation.

As he watched her eat, all he could think about was: what would it take for her to see him as a man, and not just her bloody best friend?


	4. Chapter 4

_**End of November 2002**_

The alarm on the bedside table blared at exactly five in the morning. A hand snaked out of the blanket and tried to reach for the blasted thing. When it couldn't find the alarm, the hand waved and the alarm flew to the nearest wall, breaking it into several pieces.

Harry Potter's head emerged from under the blankets to see what had happened to his alarm. He frowned when he saw it broken on the floor. Retrieving his wand from under his pillow, he casted a _Reparo_ on it and levitated it back on his night stand. He checked the time and groaned. He had barely had four hours of sleep and he needed to go back to St. Mungo's for his eight-hour shift that day. He had to extend his shift the previous night because one of his co-trainees ended up with the flu and the head healer had asked him to cover for the sick trainee. He dragged himself out of bed and into the bathroom to start getting ready for the day ahead. He had lost count of how many times he had questioned himself why he decided to pursue a career in healing. But he would admit to himself, and to anyone who asked, that he enjoyed his work. He especially enjoyed working with the children in the young witches and wizards ward a few months ago, which made him think about specializing in healing for children.

He was just finishing his cup of coffee when a familiar owl tapped on his kitchen window.

"Athena!" He greeted the owl as he hurriedly opened the window to let the brown and white Barn Owl in his flat. Harry had gifted the owl to Hermione before she left for Paris more than three years ago. They don't always use the owl for sending letters due to the distance, but Hermione let's her deliver her mail once in a while so that the bird could stretch her wings.

Harry scratched the bird's head in a show of affection that the owl had come to expect and demand everytime she delivered a letter or package to the wizard. She outstretched her leg, where there was a letter tied to it.

"Thank you, girl. You should get some rest while I'm at the hospital. You've had quite a journey coming here." He pointed towards the side of the kitchen where her perch was permanently installed. The weather had turned extra cold as the winter season had come earlier. He waved his wand so water and some treats would appear in the containers attached to the perch. The owl hooted her thanks then flew the short distance from the window to her designated resting place.

Harry smiled as he watched the bird settle then looked down on the letter in his hand. His name was written Hermione's elegant handwriting at the back of the letter. It was lighter than her usual letters. He decided to read it later after his shift as he realized he was already running late to start his shift at the hospital.

"Hell of an eventful morning, isn't it?" Susan Bones said, Harry's Hogwarts classmate and current co-trainee at St. Mungo's, as she dropped herself on one of the chairs in the hospital's cafeteria.

Harry nodded as he laid his tray of coffee and a sandwich on the table before taking a seat. He sighed as he rubbed his temples, trying to relieve some of the headache that developed earlier.

"It was a bloody nightmare!" Ernie McMillan, another Hogwarts classmate and one of their co-trainees exclaimed, who sat beside Susan.

"Whoever thought that it was a good idea to keep a 200-kilo dragon at the magical zoo needs to get a few stinging hexes to the balls," Daphne Greengrass said, "They should have sent that humongous beast to the dragon reserve before it reached that size."

Harry tuned out his co-trainees' discussion about their early emergency and took out Hermione's letter that he had received via owl earlier. He opened the letter as he was about to bite into his sandwich.

_Dearest Harry,_

_I might not be able to come home this coming Christmas as I have a ton of coursework to do and I would not be able to take a break from school. Graduation is coming up fast and there's just not enough time to finish everything. You know how I can get._

_It saddens me that I would not be able to see you and our family and friends this coming holidays. This would be the first time I'll be missing Christmas and New Year's with everyone. I'll be sending all my gifts for everyone in the coming week and I hope to see you all soon._

_I miss you terribly, Harry! Write me back soon!_

_Love,_

_Hermione_

Harry dropped his sandwich on his tray and his co-trainees turned to look at him. It seemed like he had frozen, letter in his hand, an expression of disbelief on his face.

_Hermione's not coming home?! I won't see her after months and months of missing her?_

"What's wrong, Harry?" Susan asked, snapping her fingers to get Harry's attention. Harry shook his head and turned towards the brunette.

"Uh, just… Hermione just wrote that she's not coming home this Christmas."

"Did she say why?" Daphne inquired.

Harry looked back down on the letter and quickly reread it. "She said it's because she's loaded with coursework."

"Well, she is almost done with law school, like we are almost done with healing training," Ernie said.

"We still have another two years for specialization, you know," Susan countered.

"Yes, but we can not go into that immediately after general healing training," Ernie replied.

As the other two continued arguing, Daphne turned to Harry. "Hermione not coming home this coming holidays is not the only reason you're upset, is it?"

Harry looked at the blonde former Slytherin and saw the understanding in her icy-blue eyes. She must have realized the depth of his feelings for his curly-haired best friend.

"No," Harry answered softly as he shook his head. "I haven't seen her since Easter and I've been looking forward to finally seeing her again."

"Does she know how you feel about her?"

Harry shook his head again. "No, but I was planning on telling her when she comes home. But now I might not get to tell her until she graduates."

Daphne picked up her fork and took a bit of her salad. "Then, why not just go to her instead? You've racked up enough extra hours that you can take a few days off."

Harry quickly turned his head towards Daphne and a smile grew on his face. "You're right! I could ask Healer Morningstar for a few days right before Christmas, then I'll just surprise her in Paris! You're brilliant, Daphne!"

"Why is she brilliant?" Ernie asked him, pausing his argument with Susan.

"I'm taking a few days off to see Hermione in Paris since she can't visit home."

"That is a brilliant idea. I'm sure Hermione would be happy to spend Christmas with someone, and not be alone."

Harry nodded excitedly as plans were starting to form in head.

* * *

Harry went to see Ron after his shift had ended. Ron almost never wrote to Hermione so he was tasked to inform Ron how their mutual best friend was doing while she was away.

"She's not coming home this Christmas?!" Ron nearly shouted.

"That's what she said in her letter to me," Harry answered as he rubbed his forehead. His headache throbbed at Ron's loud voice.

"Why would she not come home? She always comes home for the holidays!" Ron ranted.

Harry nodded. "She does,but it's her final year, and she's got a lot to do before she graduates."

"Which isn't in another six months!"

"Six months will fly by really fast, you know. It's the same for me."

"She's going to spend Christmas alone!"

"Well…" Harry rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish expression on his face. "I was planning to visit her and spend Christmas with her in Paris."

Ron turned towards him then a sly smile grew on his face. "Really now? Celebrating Christmas with Hermione? You and her, _alone_. No correlation to you being in love our best friend, is it?"

"Of-of course not! I j-just don't want her spending Christmas alone," Harry stuttered, which only made the redhead laugh.

"Blimey, Harry. You can't be more obvious if you tried!" Ron continued to laugh as Harry blushed. "I'd go with you if I could but Mum would skin me alive if I missed Christmas Eve dinner with the family. I'm sure she'd understand why you went to Paris to be with Hermione, though." Ron wagged his eyebrows at him.

Harry closed his eyes and leaned back on the armchair he was sitting on. He covered his face with both of his hands. "Merlin, does everyone know?!"

"About how you feel about Hermione? Sure! Well, except for Hermione, that is. But almost everyone knows, yeah." Ron laughed. "We actually have a bet going on for when you're going to break and finally tell her you fancy her."

Harry groaned at his friend's response. He did his best to hide his feelings for their brilliant female best friend, but he supposed he wasn't as subtle about it as he thought.

"And no one mentioned it to Hermione, did they?" Harry questioned.

"Not that I know of. She would have mentioned it to you if she knew how you felt, wouldn't she? Besides, we're all quite having a blast watching you fall over yourself around her while she doesn't notice a bloody thing, the dense woman. Why ruin our fun?"

"Well, I'm glad you're all being entertained with my failed love life." Harry sat up and rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"Aww, don't be like that. You're not a failure yet since you haven't told her how you feel. You _are_ finally going to tell her, that's why you're going to Paris, right?" Ron asked, eyebrow raised.

Harry took a deep breath and slowly released it. He had been pining for their beautiful best friend for years now and he had decided to finally confess to her. While the decision was made, he was bloody terrified of actually facing Hermione and doing it.

"I planned to. I'm just… scared, I guess," the raven-haired wizard replied.

"I understand your fear, Harry, but you and Hermione had been through so much. I'm sure things will work out alright in the end. It's you and Hermione." Ron clapped Harry's shoulder in encouragement.

Harry nodded his gratitude towards his other best friend. If Ron had not been there, he might have lost his mind about Hermione being so far away. Tomorrow he was going to talk to the head healer and request a few days off until Christmas. He hoped that it would be granted as he was already looking forward to seeing the woman he loved again after months of being apart.

* * *

_**December 20, 2002**_

Harry was jumpy. Leaning on one foot then the other, gloved hands shaky. Merlin, it wasn't the first time he had visited Hermione in the past three years she had lived and studied here. But with his current plans, he was nervous as hell. He didn't know yet _when_ he would tell her he was in love with her, but he decided he had to tell her before he went back to London.

Taking a deep breath, his grip tightened on the strap of his duffel bag, Harry raised one hand and knocked on the door.

After a minute or so, no one answered. He thought maybe Hermione wasn't home, or maybe she just didn't hear his knock. He raised his hand to knock again but the door suddenly opened.

"Harry?"

He barely heard her say his name. He had a moment to glimpse at Hermione's heart-shaped face before he looked down and saw the large bump that was supposed to be her stomach.

Then everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

_**December 20, 2002**_

He had lost count of how many times he had dreamed of Hermione through the years. His dreams of her varied from memories of their years in Hogwarts to the night they were together. Sometimes, they were scenarios where he confessed his feelings to her or his hopes that she would someday bear his children. _A child_.

Harry's eyes flew open and he sat up quickly, making him lightheaded and dizzy. He winced and placed a hand on the throbbing bump he was developing at the back of his head. He groaned at the pain and wondered for a moment how he got it.

"You're finally awake," a familiar voice spoke at his left. It was the voice he had been longing to hear whenever she wasn't around.

He whipped his head towards the direction of her voice and felt lightheaded once again. There she was, Hermione Granger, hands on her waist, looking down at him. And her pregnant state wasn't a dream his own brain had conjured. She truly was with child and it looked like she was big enough to be near her due date.

An intense feeling of jealousy filled him at the thought of Hermione carrying another man's child. He knew he didn't have the slightest right to feel that way, and Hermione would surely hex him to oblivion if she found out about his possessive thoughts, but he didn't care! Damn it all! Just when he was about to confess to her, another man had swooped in and took her, and even got her pregnant! Oh, how he'd love to curse the wanker!

He realized Hermione was calling him.

"Harry? Harry, are you there?" She was snapping her fingers in front of his face.

"So-sorry, Hermione!" He exclaimed. He finally realized where he was. "What am I doing on your couch?"

Hermione walked around the furniture and sat herself beside Harry. She was looking at him with concern in her eyes.

_Seriously, she's the one who's pregnant here but she's worried about me?!_ He thought silently.

"You fainted after I opened the door. Are you sure you're alright? Do I need to bring you to a healer? I think you hit your head pretty hard," she said. She reached out and touched the back of his head were the bump was. He winced a little but shook his head.

"I'll be fine. In case you forgot, _I_ am a healer-in-training," he teased her, earning him a smile. "But if you have an ice pack, that would be wonderful."

"Oh, of course. I'll be right back!" She stood up quickly—well, as quickly as a heavily-pregnant woman could—and went to the kitchen. She was back in moment and handed him an ice pack and a towel. He wrapped the towel around the ice pack then placed it on the back of his head.

"Feeling better?" Hermione asked.

Harry simply nodded, his gaze was fixed on her belly. Hermione must have realized where he was staring because she wrapped her arms around her bulging stomach. He snapped his gaze towards her cinnamon-colored eyes.

"How—how far along are you?" His voice croaked.

"I just passed my eighth month, currently on my ninth," she whispered, tears began to fill her eyes.

"Who's—"

"Think about it, Harry," she interrupted, realizing what his question was going to be.

And he did. She was eight months pregnant, she said. It was now December and if he counted back the months, the baby would have to be conceived in April.

_It would be some time earlier that month. But she was back in England for Easter hols last April. _His thoughts suddenly stopped. It's like everything that had happened that week of Hermione's visit home rewound then fast forwarded in his mind until it stopped on the night they slept together. Then it felt like everything clicked.

"I'm…?" He asked hesitantly.

"I haven't been with anyone for months before that night we got drunk, Harry."

"Was this the reason why you weren't going to come home to England for Christmas?"

Hermione nodded. "I couldn't very well just show up with this, now can I?" She said as she pointed at her belly. "There's going to be a hell of an explanation to do."

"There's _still _going to be a hell of an explanation when you come home with a _new-born baby_! And why didn't you tell me?! Were you even planning to tell me?"

Hermione grew silent as she wiped the tears that had begun to fall and stared at the fireplace. "I—I wrote so many letters. From the moment I found out after missing my period and having been sick for days on end, to that last letter I sent you about not coming home for Christmas." She looked at him, sorrow and a plea for understanding in her eyes. "I wasn't planning on hiding the baby from you, Harry. I just—"

She took a deep breath and released it shakily. "I just didn't know how to tell you because we're best friends!" Hermione waved her hands around wildly, her voice rising. "We weren't even supposed to sleep together! Friends just don't do that! Do you think _I'm_ ready to be a mother?! I'm almost graduating, Harry! Just six months to go, then I'll need to take my licensure exams! I—"

Harry grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. "Hermione! Calm down! You can't stress yourself or the baby."

Hermione looked at him with wide eyes then turned towards the bulge that was her stomach. She then began taking deep breaths, trying the calming technique her obstetrician had taught her. When she had somewhat calmed enough, she looked sheepishly at Harry and blushed.

"Sorry. It hasn't been easy, you know. Living here alone, studying _while_ carrying this little life inside me." She sighed and leaned her head on the back of the sofa. Her hands were running up and down her pregnant stomach.

"Hermione, I would have been here with you, helping you in everything. You know that," he spoke softly.

"I know," she replied as she wiped the last of her tears. "And that's part of the reason why I didn't tell you. You are doing so well in you healer training and you're almost done, as well. I couldn't possibly take you away from that."

"Of course you can, Hermione. As important healing is to me, _you_ are more important—if not the most important person in my life. And right now, learning about our child and how close you are to giving birth, all the more reason for me to be here _with you_."

Hermione shook her head. "No, Harry. You can't do that."

"Yes, I can and I will. I will talk to Healer Morningstar tomorrow and ask for an indefinite leave. Maybe until you finish school and your licensure exams."

"WHAT?! Harry, no! What are you thinking?!" Hermione exclaimed in shock. "You can't possibly halt your education! This is your future career we are talking about!"

"And like I told you, you and the baby are more important to me. I can always go back to finish my healer training once everything is settled."

"Harry—"

"Hermione." He said her name gently but firmly.

They stared at each other for the longest time. Each trying to decipher the other's thoughts about the situation they found themselves in. Harry raised his hands and cupped Hermione's face between them.

"Hermione, please. Let me take care of you and our baby. Our situation isn't ideal but if there's one thing I know, it's that we work better and stronger together."

"Are you sure about this?"

"I have never been more sure of anything in my life." He placed the most tender kiss on her forehead before looking down again. "Trust me. Give me a chance to take care of you and the baby."

Hermione visibly swallowed, tears falling from her eyes again. "I've always trusted you with my life, Harry. And I trust you with our child's life, too."

Harry then wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in a tight hug. "Thank you, Hermione."

* * *

To say that Hermione was surprised by Harry's sudden arrival at her doorstep and his subsequent fainting episode was a huge understatement. It's probably the third, no, the fourth biggest surprise of her life of the year.

The first and biggest surprise of the year was finding out she was pregnant with Harry's child, of course. Second was waking up and finding out she had drunk sex (multiple times!) with her best friend of 11 years (and she would readily admit it was the best shag she had ever had.) The third one shouldn't really come as a surprise, if she was being honest with herself. It took her until the second trimester of her pregnancy to realize that her feelings for her gorgeous, raven-haired wizard of a best friend were not exactly strictly platonic.

When the questionable amounts of alcohol lowered her inhibitions that eventful night back in April, her feelings decided to act on their own, albeit they were still unacknowledged at the time. When they agreed to not make a big deal of what happened between them the night before, she hadn't known the depth of her feelings for her best friend. Upon her return to Paris, she began to reassess the past week she had spent back home, more importantly, the times she had spent with Harry.

Hermione had always known that she and Harry had a different sort of friendship than the one she shared with Ron. While with Ron, it was a roller coaster kind of sibling-like relationship where they always bicker and throw insults at each other in a teasing way. With Harry, sometimes it felt like the words _friendship _and _best friend_ were not enough to describe their relationship with each other.

She alternated between denial and in-depth evaluation of her feelings for Harry in the next few months. By the time she reached her fourth month of pregnancy, she finally admitted to herself that Harry was more than a friend to her. He was definitely not her brother because as the pregnancy hormones wrecked havoc in her body, she was plagued by not-so-friendly and not-so-brotherly thoughts of him—usually without involving clothes.

That was another reason she hesitated in telling him about the baby. She refused to saddle him with the responsibility of being a father while being so young. She _knew_ Harry's greatest dream was to have his own family, but she also knew neither she nor Harry were ready to have one at the age of 22/23. Besides, she was just his best friend. She didn't want to take away his freedom just because they shared a child. As much as the thought of him with someone else hurt her, all she ever wanted for him was his complete and unadulterated happiness.

Harry was a good man, it was a fact. And she knew that he would stick with her once he found out about the pregnancy. She also knew it would hurt her more knowing that Harry was only with her because of the child and not because he had feelings for her.

These were the thoughts that plagued her as she led Harry to the guest room of the flat. Through the years, the guest room could be called Harry's room for how often he used it. Some of the furniture and knick-knacks in that room were either bought or brought in by Harry.

She was still undecided whether to tell him about her feelings for him. Now that he knew about the pregnancy, it somehow became simple yet complicated. Simple because this might be their chance to try for something more, but complicated because the pregnancy could manufacture feelings that might not be real.

"Hermione." His voice said her name softly.

Merlin, how she missed it. Their phone calls just weren't the same when hearing him while they were in the same room.

She turned around and looked at him. Harry took her hands in his and it almost made her weak in the knees.

"Things will be okay. We will figure everything out together. I promise."

She simply nodded, afraid that her voice would shake if she spoke. She took a deep breath and slowly released it. She looked him in the eyes and leaned up to kiss his cheek tenderly.

"Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she moved away from him. She squeezed his hands before turning around and went into her room across the guest room.

Hermione leaned back on the door as it shut and closed her eyes. She looked down at the bulge of her stomach and caressed it lovingly. Whether she would ever have Harry's love or not, she would always have a part of him in their unborn child and that, she thought, would be enough.


	6. Chapter 6

_**December 21, 2002 - Paris**_

Harry woke up to the smell of bacon being fried. He casted _Tempus_ and it showed it was still eight in the morning and the sun had risen but he was in no rush to get up. It took longer for him to finally fall asleep the night before. He had taken the opportunity of solitude the room provided to think about what he had learned last night.

He and Hermione were having a baby. Their drunken night together had resulted in a life that was currently growing in her stomach and could be coming out to meet the world soon. Now that he was away from Hermione's consuming presence, he was finally able to assess how he felt about the situation.

He had to admit that he was somehow hurt that Hermione did not tell her about the pregnancy as soon as she found out. He understood her reasons, of course. But her selflessness and rationality could be quite annoying at times, especially when it came to him. Hermione had always done her best to ease any burdens on him due to his childhood and his experience as the Wizarding World's "Chosen One."

As much as he loved Hermione for always having his best interests at heart, it sometimes frustrated him because it felt like she's treating him like a child. Well, he's not a child to be sheltered! He also wanted an opportunity to show her that he could find happiness. He was not afraid of getting hurt or burdened because his past had taught him that it's what made people stronger in life.

Now, he somehow had to prove to Hermione that she and the baby was and would _never_ be a burden to him. That he _wanted _this, wanted _them_, wanted _her_. He wanted to take this chance to show her the depth of his feelings for her and that he had wanted to be with her, baby or no baby. He was going to use this time with her to make her fall in love with him and maybe, hopefully, they would become the family he had always wanted.

He knew they still had things to talk about but they had time. He wasn't going anywhere so they could take their time to talk and hash things out.

With that thought, he rose from his bed and went to the ensuite bathroom to get ready for the day ahead. He still had to talk to his healing trainer for his indefinite leave of absence, and he hoped that the stern lecturer would understand his circumstance.

* * *

Thankfully for Hermione, her pregnancy had been quite an easy one. While earlier in her pregnancy, she had been averse to certain smells and tastes which made her nauseous, now she could pretty much handle anything. Although she tired easily, she was still able to attend all her classes the past months. She would love nothing more than to just relax this Christmas break and enjoy Harry's company right before she gave birth.

She was up earlier than usual due to her restlessness at the idea of Harry being in her flat, just a door away. She wasn't normally this way before she realized she was in love with him. And the baby might have sensed her restlessness because it had been active the whole night she was lying in bed. Accepting the fact that she would not be sleeping any more than she had had, she rose just before the sun rose. She quietly went to the kitchen and put the kettle on to make her usual morning herbal tea. The obstetrician forbid caffeine during pregnancy so she resorted to herbal, decaffeinated teas. She would just have to make Harry a different batch of tea after she made hers. She then grabbed some bacon and eggs from the fridge to start cooking breakfast for her and Harry. Normally, they did this particular activity together since they would wake up at the same time.

Just as she was finished cooking, she heard footsteps approaching. She turned around to greet Harry good morning but the words were lodged in her throat along with her tongue the moment she laid her eyes on him.

Harry was wearing a thick midnight blue jumper, dark distressed jeans, and he was barefoot. His hair was a mess and wet from showering. He was looking down and cleaning his glasses so he thankfully didn't see how Hermione was suddenly consumed by lust like a sodding teenager at the image he presented to her.

_How can a bloke be this bloody gorgeous so early in the bloody morning?! Damn these pregnancy hormones! _She internally cursed.

She shook her head and took a big sip of her tea before she gave greeting him a second try.

"Good morning, Harry."

He looked up and a smile so wide and joyful dominated his handsome face. He put on his glasses, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her on the forehead.

"Good morning, beautiful," he whispered as he looked down at her. Hermione was not able to stop the blush that crept on her cheeks and she was forced to look away from his intense gaze. He gave her another smile before letting her go and went to the dining table where Hermione had prepared their breakfast.

"Wow, you made breakfast," he said as he pulled out a chair for her. She went and sat down then watched him walk around the table and take his own seat across from hers.

"I was up a bit early," she shrugged as she picked up her fork and began eating.

"Well, thank you. Don't worry, I'll make breakfast for you tomorrow." He winked at her then began eating, as well.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Harry asked.

"I was planning on putting up Christmas decor in the flat then after lunch I'll be going to my obstetrician."

"Why go to a muggle doctor?" He inquired.

"I go to both, actually. Thankfully, doctors and healers are similar in terms of doctor-patient confidentiality. I'll be going to my healer tomorrow.

"I thought that our… _notoriety_ was restricted in the UK. But when I got here, I realized the news of the Second British Wizarding War reached overseas and you, Ron, and I are quite known to foreign wizards and witches, as well," she explained.

He nodded. "You didn't want the news about your pregnancy to reach the wizarding press."

"Yes," she nodded. "I kept a glamour on my stomach for the first two trimesters but the healer advised that I use less magic because it has become quite unstable due to the baby's own magic, I had to stop the glamour. I had to tell my professors and classmates about the pregnancy, thankfully they haven't gone to the press about it, yet."

"The press will have a field day when we go back to England with a baby," he said.

Hermione sighed and faced Harry, putting her fork down. "Harry, are you still on about staying here with me?"

Harry mirrored her actions, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "I am. In fact, I'm going to floo call Healer Morningstar after breakfast to talk to him about it."

"Harry, you can't do that," she repeated her statement from last night. "I won't let you sacrifice your future."

Harry reached across the table and took her hands in his. "This is also my future, Hermione. You and the baby are part of my future. I'm not sacrificing anything, just rearranging my priorities."

"But…"

"You've got to stop thinking that whatever I do _for_ _you_ is not a burden or a hardship, Hermione. I _want _to do it, heck, I _need_ to do it."

Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. She had been used to doing everything for Harry and his happiness that she was having a hard time accepting his doing things _for her_. She would shelf this conversation now and revisit it later.

"So, can I go to the doctor with you later?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"Of course, it's your child too, you know," she agreed.

He graced her another of his winsome smiles and she wondered how she was going to survive living in the same space as him knowing that she was head over heels in love with him.

* * *

Hermione had changed into a hospital gown after the assistant had showed them into the doctor's room. She sat on the examination table while Harry stood next to her. He refused to sit down as Hermione guessed he was nervous about the check up. She had been in this office too many times in the past months so she was used to it. It was interesting to see Harry nervous in a hospital, knowing that he worked and studied in one, albeit a magical one.

"Alright, we're going to do one last ultrasound just to check everything is still in order before your due date," Dr. Bernand said, looking at Hermione's chart as she entered the room. She looked up from the chart in her hand and froze upon seeing Harry standing beside Hermione.

"Uh, Harry, this is Dr. Frances Bernand. Dr. Bernand, this is Harry Potter," Hermione said.

"Hello, Dr. Bernand." Harry reached out his hand to shake the woman's hand.

"Mr. Potter, pleasure to meet you," she said as she shook his hand briefly.

Dr. Bernand looked at Hermione. "Shall we get to it, then? Do you want Mr. Potter here while we do the scan?"

Hermione nodded and glanced at Harry. "Yes, he's the father, after all."

"I see." The doctor looked at him as if judging him.

"He only just found out about that baby, actually. He lives in London," Hermione immediately said, defending Harry.

"Very well. Let's get you comfortable on the bed then we'll start the scan," the doctor instructed.

Harry helped Hermione lie on the bed and watched in fascination as the doctor applied some sort of gel on her swollen belly. Hermione hissed a bit and Harry looked at her in concern. She squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"I'm fine. Just a tad cold."

"We're starting the scan now," the doctor informed them and the two of them faced the monitor she pointed at.

Hermione looked up at Harry and watched him as he stared at the monitor in wonder while the doctor was pointing out the various parts of the baby and how it was developing perfectly. She could see the love he had for their child even after only knowing for barely a day. She couldn't help the tears forming in her eyes. She couldn't help but sniffle and Harry turned to look at her in alarm. She squeezed his hand again and gave him a teary smile.

"I'm fine," she whispered.

It wasn't a lie. For once, she truly felt that things were going to be just fine.

December 23, 2002 - Paris

More tears were shed when the doctor had let Harry hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time and he couldn't stop the tears even if he wanted to. When he had worked in the little witches and wizards ward in St. Mungo's, he had always felt a bit of longing within him that he didn't understand. But when he saw and heard the life growing inside Hermione a few days ago, something had clicked inside him and now he understood what that old feeling meant. He and Hermione may be too young to be parents but he knew in his heart that he was eager for it, as much as he was eager to be with Hermione.

After the doctor's appointment, they did a bit of Christmas shopping for decors and gifts. He had bought his gift for Hermione back in London and was hidden in his suitcase so they only bought gifts for some of their loved ones back home. When they got home, Hermione made hot chocolate to combat the cold from being outside while Harry began putting up the Christmas decors they bought earlier.

It was all so domestic and Harry was soaking it all up. He hadn't had the best experience when it came to Christmas growing up but ever since going to Hogwarts and meeting Hermione, as well as Ron, it had been a new experience for him. Of course, there was the war and that Christmas Eve when he and Hermione had visited his parents' grave for the first time and was attacked by Nagini, but no matter what was happening or where he was, as long as Hermione was with him, he knew things would always be better.

The day after the doctor's appointment, they visited Hermione's magical healer. As Hermione had explained, their notoriety was quite known overseas so the healer was a quivering mess when she had met him and was informed of his paternal relations to the child Hermione was carrying. He had the same sense of wonder and fascination when the healer had shown their baby through magic. He was, of course, not surprised that the child was magical but the fact that the child was quite powerful, did. He couldn't wait to show their child about the muggle and magical world, teach them how to ride a broom, and show them how wonderful their mother was.

"Harry? Can you help me for a bit?"

Harry looked up from his musings and set down the hot chocolate Hermione had made and made his way over to her. She was carrying several of the gifts they had wrapped the day before as she stood beside the Christmas tree they had put up.

"Can you put these under the tree? I can't exactly bend down," she said, looking pointedly at her swollen stomach.

Harry chuckled. "Of course, give me those and just sit on the couch while I do this," he instructed her. She huffed and loaded his arms with the gifts. Harry couldn't help but think how adorable she was. She had been complaining how ugly and big she felt and it took everything Harry had not to just blurt out all of his feelings for her.

As he sat down on the floor and began fixing the gifts, he didn't notice Hermione observing him with a forlorn look in her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

_**December 23, 2002 - Paris**_

"Harry?"

"Hmm?" He turned to look at her.

She looked at the fireplace briefly before looking back at him, an emotion in her eyes he could not place. "Maybe we should discuss about how we're going to co-parent this baby."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.

She looked away again. "Well, you know. We don't live together, we're not even together _together_, and you still have your healer training to finish-"

"You're on about that again, Hermione?" He stood up from his place on the floor and placed his hands on his hips. "I was already given permission to take an indefinite leave of absence and have the documents for it. I am staying right here until you finished what you need to do here-"

"What about when we come back to London?" She looked up at him, as if challenging him.

"What do you mean by that? What, you think when we go back to London that we'd just go back to having separate lives?!"

"You could still have your own life! Meet and date people, travel and go out in the world! You can always visit me and the baby when you have free time," she answered.

"When I have free time? Merlin, I am not going to be a part-time parent, Hermione! Is that what you think I'm going to do?" Harry responded, his voice rising. He couldn't believe the things Hermione was saying. He thought that things had been going well these past few days.

"I can raise this child on my own, you know!"

He began pacing in front of the Christmas tree. "I know you can, but that's not the point! I'm not going to be the kind of father who only visits his kid whenever I get the inclination. In fact, I don't just want visiting rights to our child!"

"Of course not! You can have him or her over at your place whenever you want! I'm not going to keep the child from you!" Hermione responded, hurt evident in her voice.

He turned to her, his green eyes blazing. "Then why are you telling me this, Hermione? Why are you asking me how we are going to 'co-parent' our child? You, of all people, _know_ what I've always wanted! And you're just going to give me _half_ of it?!"

Hermione looked as if he had slapped her. Maybe he did, figuratively, with what he had said. So many emotions had been churning inside him and he couldn't stop the words coming out of his mouth.

"Harry-"

"I have been going out of my mind trying to think of ways to convince you that _I want this_. That _I want this baby with you_-"

"You could just be getting carried away-"

"_You_ don't get to tell me how _I_ feel about this!"

"I just don't want you to want to be with me because of the baby!" Hermione gasped as she realized what she had spoken and covered her mouth with her hands.

Harry froze, his eyes widening. "What did you say?" He whispered, hoping she said what he thought she did.

Tears had fallen from Hermione's eyes and her hands shook as she brought them down to her lap. She avoided his questioning gaze by looking down at her hands.

"I-I want you to be with me because you had feelings _for me_, and not just because we're having a child together," she responded softly.

Harry's heartbeat was so loud he almost didn't hear what Hermione said. "Does that mean you have feelings for me, too?"

Still not looking at him, she nodded. "Yes. I-Wait." She looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "'_Too?' _You mean-?"

Harry hurriedly kneeled in front of her and cupped her face between his hands.

"When I planned to come here and spend Christmas with you, I decided that I was going to tell you how I feel. How I've felt for years," he said as he looked her in the eyes.

"For years? Harry, what-?"

"I have been in love with you for years, Hermione. And this," he took one of his hands and laid it on her stomach, "had nothing to do with those feelings. If anything, _this_ only made me love you more."

Hermione couldn't help the sob that escaped her as she heard the words she'd been longing to hear from him these past months. Or maybe it was years too, as she felt like she had been in love with him for a long time.

"I love you, too," she told him.

The smile he gave her could have illuminated the whole of Paris. It was similar to the smile he wore that day when he first saw the baby on the ultrasound.

"Thank Merlin," he sighed. "I was almost going crazy thinking about ways to make you see that I want _you_."

He kissed her forehead so tenderly and Hermione closed her eyes. "I am going to be wherever you and the baby will be, whether it's here, or in London, or at the fucking North Pole."

Hermione laughed at his statement and Harry wiped away her tears. His gaze roamed across her face until it stopped at her lips. Hermione's heart rate increased as his eyes turned passionate before he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. It was a feeling she had craved for these past months they had been apart and she still remembered how perfect his lips were. Their kisses started out sweet and soft but quickly turned hungry and desperate. Hermione's hands began to roam the front of Harry's body and he reluctantly ended the kiss to look at her.

"We probably shouldn't-"

"Actually, we still could," she said as she pecked his lips and kissed her way to his neck. "Dr. Bernand and the healer told me intercourse is still quite safe for me."

Harry shivered as he felt Hermione's breath brush against his skin. He couldn't help the moan that escaped him as she left open-mouth kisses under his jaw.

"Come on." He scooped her from the couch and stood up, as if she weighed nothing. Hermione laughed as he carried her towards her bedroom.

"Harry, I can walk on my own, you know!" She exclaimed but secretly enjoyed the way Harry carried her.

"I know but I want to do this," he gave her a sly smile that sent delicious tingles down her spine.

Harry laid her down in the middle of the bed and stood beside the bed. He stripped off his jumper, undershirt, his shoes and socks, until all that was left were his boxer briefs. He got on the bed and laid down on Hermione's left side. She sat up and Harry helped her take off her dress and her underwear. Harry bent down and kissed her stomach reverently. Hermione ran her fingers through his hair as she watched him. His actions only served to make her fall in love with him more.

"Are you sure about this, love?" Oh, how she loved hearing him call her that.

"Yes," she whispered as she tugged him to her and kissed him. They needed a bit of maneuvering as Harry didn't want to lean his weight on her stomach. So they ended up with Harry underneath and Hermione on top and straddling him. She aligned herself with his erection and slowly moved down. Both moaned at the sensation of finally being together again. Harry helped Hermione move as she rode him. She had definitely missed him and her hormones had been wreaking havoc on her libido for the past several days that Harry had been there. Finally she could unleash her suppressed hormones as she made love to the dark-haired wizard.

It didn't take her long before she reached her peak. She gave a long, low moan as she came while one of Harry's hands went to where they were connected and teased her clit, prolonging her orgasm. When she was finally done, Harry gently positioned her on her knees, went behind her. He entered her gently, pulled her upright and leaned her back against his chest. He began to thrust against her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other firmly on her hip. Hermione held onto his arm on her shoulder and reached her other hand behind his neck. He kissed the soft skin on her neck and the side of her face until she turned to face him, their lips meshing passionately. The pleasure became too much for Harry and he finally came, bringing her along with him for her second orgasm.

"I love you," Harry said softly against her lips, as they leaned into each other.

"And I, you," she responded just as softly.

They quickly cleaned up and laid on the bed, exhaustion overtaking them. Harry spooned Hermione, his hand gently caressing her pregnant belly which lulled her to sleep. When Harry could hear her breathing even out, only then did he allow himself to fall asleep as he was afraid that the pleasant turn of events that night had been a dream.

* * *

Harry didn't know what woke him but he was alert even before the sleep had left him entirely. Hermione was sitting up holding her stomach and was breathing quite heavily.

"Hermione?" He called out as he touched her arm. "What's wrong, love?"

Hermione turned to him, tears in her eyes. "I think there's something wrong with the baby."

* * *

_**December 24, 2002 - Paris**_

It was a blur after that. They dressed quickly and Harry flooed them to _Hôpital Saint-Raphaël Pour Les Maladies et Les Blessures_, the French equivalent of St. Mungo's. Hermione's healer was already there waiting for them as Harry had sent his Patronus to her before they went to the hospital. They immediately rushed Hermione to one of the private rooms and the healer quickly checked the condition of both mother and baby.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked in desperation as Hermione cried out in pain.

"It seems that the baby is ready to come out," the healer replied calmly as she waved her wand around Hermione's belly.

"What?!" Hermione exclaimed. "I'm not due for another two weeks!"

"Looks like a burst of magic has interacted with your baby's magic, which is causing the early labor," she explained then looked towards Harry. "Were you intimate with each other recently?"

The question caught Harry so off-guard that he wasn't able to respond quickly. His mouth opened and closed like a fish and the healer simply chuckled.

"I'll take that as a yes. Well, as you were being intimate, it's more than just your bodies that become one. Your magics interact, as well."

Harry was too preoccupied with what the healer had told him, and the idea that they would meet their baby so soon, that it took Hermione almost breaking his hand by squeezing it too hard to bring his attention back to what was happening.

Hermione let out another long moan of pain as another contraction hit her. He hated seeing her in pain and wished he could take it away for her.

"I'm right here, love. I'm here," he said repeatedly as he wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"Harry, I'm scared," she said, fear evident in her golden brown eyes.

"I am, too. But soon, we'll meet our baby and I can't wait to see them," he responded.

"I hope they have your eyes."

"Well, I hope they have your cute little nose and your smile." Harry kissed her briefly.

"They're going to have terrible hair, you know," Hermione said before another wave of contractions hit her again. Once it passed, Harry wiped more sweat from her face.

"Doesn't matter. They will still be as gorgeous as their mother." He smiled at her.

Harry was so focused on keeping Hermione calm, and guiding her through the contractions, that he wasn't sure how much time had passed until the healer finally said that Hermione was ready to push out the baby. She instructed Harry to sit behind Hermione as he would help her push the baby out. He did as he was instructed and helped Hermione push. It felt like it took hours and hours but the actual birth only took about three quarters of an hour.

"Congratulations Mum and Dad! You have a healthy baby boy!" the healer announced as she pulled the baby from Hermione and placed him on her still-swollen belly. The baby had a tuft of dark brown hair on his head, wrinkly and pink, and was putting his lungs to good use.

"Oh, Harry! Look at him, he's so beautiful," Hermione cooed as she gently touched a finger to the baby's cheek.

The baby's cries were music to Harry's ears. He kissed Hermione's sweaty cheek and spoke. "He's perfect. Just like his mum."

Hermione turned to look at Harry and he pecked her lips as the nurse took the baby to clean him. Harry left the bed and helped Hermione get comfortable.

"Get some rest, love. You've had a tough time," Harry told her. Hermione nodded and leaned back on the pillow he had fixed for her. She gave a sigh and closed her eyes. The nurse came back to him and handed him his bundled child.

"Here you go, Mr. Potter. Once Ms. Granger is awake, she can go ahead and feed him. We will come back later to get the baby's name and other information," she said to him quietly, mindful of the sleeping mother.

Harry nodded and held the baby tightly to his chest. "Alright. Thank you."

Hermione woke later to the sound of someone singing. She looked around the room and saw Harry walking around the room while singing to their baby. It was a Christmas song they had been listening to a few days ago while they were decorating her flat. He must have seen her move because he turned towards her and gave her a bright smile which she returned.

"Look, little man. Your mum's awake. I bet you're pretty hungry, huh?" He said to the baby as he went to sit beside Hermione on the bed. He passed the baby to her and the baby instinctively moved towards her breast.

"Definitely hungry," Harry laughed.

He helped Hermione with her hospital gown and she relished the feeling of feeding her child for the first time.

"Have you thought about names?" Harry asked her.

Hermione looked at him and thought for a bit. She didn't have any definite names yet but she had a few choices.

"How about James?" She asked him.

Harry looked at his son as he fed from his mother and smiled, although a sad one.

"As much as I would love to name him after my parents, I'd rather not give him that burden," he said. Hermione looked at him curiously.

"Think about it. James and Lily left behind a legacy. Any children of ours named after them would have the burden of living up to that legacy for the rest of their lives. _I_ had to live through it. I'd rather they become a person of their own."

Hermione smiled at his explanation, causing him to flush in embarrassment. "That's very wise of you, Harry."

"Well, when you have the Brightest Witch of the Age as a best friend, it's bound to rub off on me sooner or later." They both laughed at his statement and looked down to see their son had fallen asleep.

"How about... Henry James?" Hermione asked.

"You know, he's going to end up with the same initials as me?" Harry teased.

"That's why I suggested it. And James as a second name still honors your dad without the burden of his legacy," she answered.

Harry looked down at his sleeping son and touched his curly dark brown hair. "You're right."

Hermione looked outside the window and saw it was snowing. "Harry, what day is it?"

He looked up and looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh! It's Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Harry," Hermione said and leaned in to kiss him.

"Merry Christmas, Hermione." He returned the kiss and looked at their baby boy. "Henry James Potter, our Christmas miracle."


	8. Chapter 8

_**December 25, 2003 - London**_

Harry groaned as something began jumping on his back, pulling him out of his _very short_ slumber. He had come in late last night from his shift from St. Mungo's because there had been a last-minute emergency when a whole team of Quidditch players ended up drunk and tried to fly their brooms while intoxicated. Needless to say, the whole bunch of them ended up injured and they had to tend to them while their coach was breathing down every healer's neck to make sure they were treated properly.

He almost snapped at whatever had interrupted his sleep when he heard the most adorable giggle in the world. All of his tiredness and grumpiness had washed away upon hearing one of favorite sounds in the world.

"Darling, you'll wake Daddy," he heard another of his favorite sounds in the world whisper.

"Dada! Dada! Up!" Their one-year-old son said as he continued to jump on his father's back.

"I'm up! I'm up!" He raised his arms in surrender. His little boy giggled as he felt Hermione remove the boy from his back. He turned and looked at his family with love filling his whole being.

"Good morning, Harry," Hermione greeted him with a kiss.

"Good morning, Hermione. Good morning, little man." The little boy moved from his mother's arms to his father's and wrapped his short arms around Harry's neck. Harry kissed Henry's cheek and hugged him tightly.

"Happy birthday, Henry," Harry greeted him. "Are you ready for your first birthday party?"

"Oh, he is." Hermione laughed. "He was up before sunrise. I don't know what he's more excited about: his birthday or Christmas."

Harry started tickling the toddler and savored the child's laughter. "Oh I know what he's excited about. The presents, of course!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Of course, he is. Come on, then. Let's have breakfast then we have to get ready for the party."

To say everyone was surprised when they came home for New Year's to introduce little Henry was quite an understatement. Harry and Hermione, of course, had to explain when Henry was conceived and why Harry didn't know about the pregnancy until he visited her in Paris. They were not surprised when the couple announced that they were finally together. It was a surprise for Hermione, though, to know that almost everyone knew about Harry's feelings for her before she even knew about it. She and Harry had quite a laugh about how blind both were about their feelings for each other before coming together.

Harry, indeed, stayed in Paris to take care of Henry until Hermione took her licensure exams in July before coming back to London. It was Hermione's turn to stay at home and take care of the baby while Harry went back to finish his healer training. He had offered to hire a nanny to take care of Henry so she could start her career as a barrister but Hermione insisted that she wanted to be a hands-on mother for a little while. They did hire a house elf-which Hermione made sure was paid and had vacation days-to help take care of their house. Harry sold his flat after they had bought their own house, seeing as a flat was not conducive to raising a family.

Harry and Hermione decided not to get married right away after Henry was born because they felt it wasn't a priority at the time. They wanted to focus on Henry and their careers first but what Hermione didn't know was Harry had been planning to propose to her for months prior. He had bought the ring sometime before Hermione graduated and had planned to propose to her then but with her exams and the subsequent move back to London, everything became hectic and the proposal was moved to the back of his mind.

Yesterday was their first anniversary together as a couple and you would think he had used that opportunity to propose, but with the emergency at St. Mungo's, they were not able to celebrate it.

The party began some time after lunch and everyone they knew and loved were there. Henry was enjoying the attention of all the adults there who had brought him twice the number of gifts, seeing as it was both Christmas and his birthday. Hermione was busy preparing the food for the guests while Harry was putting aside the gifts. The Weasley kids were keeping Henry preoccupied while the adults were talking among themselves.

"Hey, mate."

Harry turned to look at Ron and gave the other man a hug.

"Glad you could make it, mate," he said as he let go.

"And miss my godson's first birthday, not bloody likely. I also brought him the gift we talked about," Ron whispered to him.

"Oh, you're gonna get it from Hermione. I'll bet you 10 Galleons," Harry laughed.

"Not before she gets you for 'letting and encouraging me' in getting it," Ron smirked.

Harry patted Ron on the shoulder. "Oh, I have the perfect idea how to distract her from her ire."

"Ew! I don't want to think about you and Hermione shagging! Even if that's how Henry came about!" Ron complained and covered his ears.

"You git! That's not what I meant!" Harry pushed his best friend as he laughed. "You're gonna have to see it later."

"Wait! You're going to actually do it? Like, finally do it?" Ron asked, excitement filling him.

Harry nodded and smiled. Ron clapped him on his shoulder this time. "You bloody well know she's going to say yes, right?"

"Can't be too sure until she does."

"Bah! She will. _I_ will bet you 10 Galleons on that!"

Harry shook his head. "Not on your life, you git."

"Alright, everyone time for cake!" Hermione called out to everyone.

After the candles had been blown and the cake cut, everyone had gathered in the sitting room as Harry and Hermione helped Henry open his gifts. The little boy would get a gift from the pile and shift back to his parents to open it. He grabbed a tiny box and gave it to his father before climbing onto Hermione's lap. Harry stood up and cleared his throat.

"This one's not for Henry."

Everyone looked at him in confusion, including Hermione, all except for Ron who was grinning widely.

Harry unwrapped the tiny box, opened it and knelt in front of a surprised Hermione. Henry sat quietly in his mother's lap, as if knowing something important was happening.

"This past year has been the best time in my entire life. Having you and Henry filled a big hole I didn't know was there. You and Henry gave me the happiness I had only wished to have when I was young. Our family is the reason I get up everyday, the reason I smile more, the reason behind everything that I do. And I want our family to be permanent. I want the whole world to know that I am yours, Hermione Jane Granger, forever and always. I want you to have the same last name and initials as Henry and I do. You've made me the happiest man alive when you told me you loved me and later on gave birth to our Christmas miracle." He reached out and touched his son's cheek. "Will you marry me, Hermione?"

The whole room was silent, as if everyone was holding their breaths as they waited for Hermione's answer.

The moment Harry had knelt in front of Hermione, she had begun crying. Not because she was sad but because she was finally getting what she wished for for this year's Christmas. Harry's words brought more tears and she held their son tightly. She kissed their son's head and looked at Harry, a bright smile on her face.

"Yes, a million times yes," she answered him softly.

Everyone broke into a cheer while Harry put the ring onto her finger. He kissed her soundly and kissed their son, as well. He held both mother and son in a hug while everyone around them celebrated their engagement.

"Merry Christmas, Hermione," Harry whispered.

Hermione cupped Harry's cheek and wiped his tears away. "Merry Christmas, love. You are my Christmas miracle, too."


End file.
